Peshmerga Ministry urges volunteers to register for better coordination
The Kurdish Ministry of Peshmerga on Sunday called on volunteers to register their names to help better coordinate efforts to combat the assailing Shia Hashd al-Shaabi militia and Iraqi forces, south of Erbil.
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region (Kurdistan 24) – The Kurdish Ministry of Peshmerga on Sunday called on volunteers to register their names to help better coordinate efforts to combat the assailing Shia Hashd al-Shaabi militia and Iraqi forces, south of Erbil.
“We know that the people of the Kurdistan Region are always very willing and ready to support the Peshmerga and defend their homeland,” the statement read. “The effort they are volunteering is highly appreciated.”
Following the attack of the Hashd al-Shaabi, also known as the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF), and Iraqi forces on Kirkuk and other disputed territories, a large number of volunteers took up arms and joined the Peshmerga to defend their cities.
Registering the names of volunteers is designed to prevent logistical mishaps, protect lives, and better organize their duties, the Kurdish Ministry said in the statement.
It also mentioned that volunteers can register at the Peshmerga Command of Kirkuk in Qushtapa, southern Erbil, where they will be assigned their duties.
The Ministry urged volunteer fighters not to access Peshmerga front lines during clashes without coordinating with the central command.
After the fall of Kirkuk on Oct. 16, the PMF and Iraqi Forces set their sights on the town of Pirde and launched an assault on Friday, some 40 kilometers south of Erbil city.
Relations between Erbil and Baghdad have considerably deteriorated following the vote on independence for the Kurdistan Region.
Editing by G.H. Renaud